For the past 30 years, I’ve been trying to figure this whole “life” thing out and still, I have no idea. I think part of me might always get lost in the overwhelming feeling that nothing really matters at all. Which can be disheartening or comforting depending on how you look at it. But at the same time, everything feels to me like it’s all tied together in an infinite web of awareness, so everything must matter somehow! Either way, I know that suffering really sucks. And if there’s anything we can ever do to relieve some of the suffering going on in this universe, we should do it. And if that means making cinnamon buns with plant-based milk and butter instead of traditional milk and butter, hey great start!

Like the Blueberry Ginger Cinnamon Buns I posted before, it’s best to make these the night before and let them rise in the fridge until you bake them in the morning. It’s better to just enjoy your morning anyway. Instead of mixing up flour and rolling out dough, you can just put these right in the oven when you wake up.

Morning can be a magical time of the day (really every moment is magic because we are all part of an infinitely beautiful biological miracle blooming out of space and time…but I digress). So here’s a recipe for you to make and share on some magical morning. The best thing about this recipe is that you make the cinnamon rolls the night before and let them rise in the fridge overnight. Then just pop them in the oven first thing in the morning! That way you get to spend more time stretching into the day and enjoying the company of whatever beings you’re sharing this precious moment in time with…not mixing up flour and rolling out the dough. These cinnamon buns are sweet, sticky, gingery spicy, and make your whole house smell great. Hope y’all like ’em!

2016 has been a doozy of a year and it’s finally coming to an end…but it’s ultimately left me feeling contemplative. I’ve been thinking even more about human nature and our sheer existence. Why are we here? What is our higher purpose on this planet? Do we even have one? Why do we seem to be okay with destroying our precious Earth? I get discouraged because I want so badly to help facilitate big changes here on this planet, but sometimes I feel so lost it’s like I don’t even know where to start. I dream of a world where all of us as humans can empathize with the suffering of others, and in reaction, attempt to relieve that suffering. I like to think of my veganism as a simple and easy form of everyday peaceful protest against the violence and oppression on this planet. So that’s a pretty cool thing, the fact that with every meal we have the opportunity to stand in opposition to all this violence we see going on today. Obviously, it’s not going to solve all of our problems…but hey, it’s a start!

So anyways, I’m praying for all of us Earthlings today. I pray for peace, love, compassion, awareness, and forgiveness. I’m sending out so much love to you all and remembering that together we can be a powerfully changing force for peace.

So moving along to the food… here’s my recipe for a vegan Pomegranate Pistachio Cheesecake. I hope you get to share these upcoming holidays with people you love. If you do, go ahead and share this cheesecake with them too! It’s smooth, creamy, light, tart and sweet. The pistachio crust is crumbly, nutty and crunchy. You will need to plan ahead in order to soak the cashews overnight. You’re also going to need a high-quality food processor or blender to get the right creamy consistency for the filling. If you don’t have a springform pan, any similar size cake pan should work fine.

Following a series of unfortunate events I have decided to move away from one of the most magical places on Earth: Mendocino, California. It’s bittersweet to leave that gorgeous piece of coastal land, but I’ve decided to drive back home to hot and sunny Atlanta, Georgia. I miss my friends and I miss my family, but I just left Mendocino and my heart already aches for the coast too. Will I ever feel settled anywhere? Ironically, I sometimes feel the most at home while on the road so this trip is, for me, a celebration of this little bit of summer we have left.

As a seasoned vegan road-tripper I can show you how easy it is to eat healthfully and compassionately while traveling with the help of a just a little planning ahead.

As I travel across the country I’ll be collecting a prize pack full of my favorite vegan and organic goodies to send off to one lucky winner! My hope is to inspire whoever wins to go out on their own grand adventure and explore this beautiful planet we live on together! There are three different ways to enter:

Sign up for the Eat Love Now mailing list (if you’re already signed up, congratulations you already have one entry)

Just before I decided to go vegan about 7 years ago I was eating tons of hot wings. I just really liked them, I loved how they tasted, but at the same time I knew each chicken only had two wings and seeing huge piles of them on plates or in baskets just made me feel so sad…even though for a while I kept eating them despite this internal conflict. But eventually (after watching tons of documentaries on Netflix… first Food Inc. followed by Forks Over Knives, Earthlings, and anything else I could find about food and farm animals) I just couldn’t handle the guilt I felt over eating those tiny little wings. So, inspired my love of both animals and hot wings I started making these Buffalo Tempeh Nuggets. For 7 years I have made these for all kinds of people; meat lovers, tempeh haters, health nuts, and picky eaters. They all love them, but my recipe has always been time intensive and required dirtying a lot of dishes. But yesterday I made a marvelous discovery and figured out how to cut the prep time by quite a bit, create way less of a mess to clean up, and make them taste even better than they always have! This isn’t what I would consider a health food but it’s so much better for you than nuggets made out of chickens and such a delicious alternative for anyone who wants to make compassionate choices when it comes to food. They are hot and spicy, crispy, hearty, and filling. Dip them in some vegan ranch or bleu cheese dressing to satisfy a nostalgic craving (I just finally got to try the Ranch and Bleu Cheese dressings made by Daiya and was blown away by how thick, creamy, and accurate both of the flavors are).

If you follow me on Instagram you know that sushi is one of my favorite things to eat and to make. I love the ritual involved in rinsing the rice. I love dreaming up endless combinations of flavors, textures, and colors. Arranging the sushi rolls delicately on the plates is always fun too. The beauty of this food is that it can be simple and straightforward or fantastically creative! Making sushi is fun and expressive, in a way that goes beyond just a means to fill your belly.

I’m going to walk you through the process of making sushi, step-by-step and give you the recipe for one of my favorite sushi accompaniments, Spicy Mayo! If this is your first time rolling sushi, be patient and forgiving with yourself, because it can take a little practice. But don’t worry, I’ve got all the info you need right here, you’ll be a pro in no time!

I immediately fell in love with the verse and then started dreaming of avocado salads. There are so many possibilities. For this salad, the juicy watermelon is a nice compliment to creamy avocado slices, and the fresh lemon, mint, and basil add a brightness that is perfect for the morning.

Here are some of my other “avocado salad in the morning” ideas. Perhaps I’ll be making more avocado salads soon…

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Georgia girl living in Northern California who loves to EAT! More important than that I love this planet and I love all the beings that live here, so I'm trying to help make it a more compassionate place. I'm hoping to inspire you to create flavorful Southern food (and other kinds of food too) using fresh, organic, plant-based ingredients, and maybe inspire you to think about some new ideas too. Eat Love Now is about living through the heart and enjoying thoughtful, kind, and delicious meals.
Thank you so much for being here with me!
so much Love and Gratitude,
Melissa